Dear Diary
by Somiena
Summary: Who am I? That's something I've been trying to figure out my whole life. First, I was Ailsa Harris, normal little girl. Now, I'm Ailsa Harris, seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Welcome to my life.
1. Introductions Are In Order

***This is my first attempt at writing a fanfiction. I know it's not much, but it's a start.**

****Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.**

**May 24**

**Friday**

Dear Diary,

I've been here at Hogwarts for nearly seven years now. It's strange, reflecting on my past here now. I don't know if I'm ready to move on, out of school, into an actual career in the wizarding world. Especially thinking back to my first days at Hogwarts. I remember receiving my acceptance letter and learning that I am a witch. I remember discovering Platform 9 and ¾ and boarding the Hogwarts Express for the very first time. I remember my first time in the Great Hall and the feeling I got when I was sorted into Ravenclaw. I even remember my first classes at Hogwarts and all the times I got lost in my first year. More than all of that, though, I remember the first people I became friends with here.

It was September 1st, 2017. I had gotten onto the Hogwarts Express and searched along the train until I finally found a compartment with space that I was comfortable enough to join. "Hey, can I sit here?" I remember asking the pale-haired boy, gesturing to the empty seat across from him. I remember he just nodded and looked back out the window, probably staring out at his family as the train left the station. It seemed like hours before either of us chose to break the silence. Surprisingly, though, it was the boy who broke it.

"What house do you suppose you'll be placed in?" he asked me. I didn't really know much about any of the houses at Hogwarts, so I just shrugged. At the time I was embarrassed to admit that I was a muggle-born who only found out just over a month previously that I was a witch. In truth, I had read about Hogwarts in _Hogwarts: a History_, but I still didn't know where I would fit in.

I remember mentally shaking myself just in time to catch that boy telling me that he expected to be put in Slytherin. "Is that where you really want to be put?" I had asked the boy. I knew about all the dark wizards that had come from Slytherin house, but I knew better than to offend a stranger.

"Of course. It's the house my family has been in for generations. What about your family?"

I remember worrying so much about that moment because I didn't want to be judged for being "different". I had dealt with bullies growing up as someone that was different from the muggle world, not knowing why I was so different; I wasn't about to put up with more crap from people who didn't even know me. I remember being completely honest in that moment. "Actually, I'm the first witch in my family that I know of."

I remember the look of shock on the boy's face and how surprised I was that his face could be any more pale that it started. I remember watching him mull over this new-found information, obviously struggling to accept it, but finally choosing to accept the fact that I was a muggle-born witch. "Well, I suppose that means you'll be the start of any family traditions for the wizarding part of your family," he had said to me. I smiled at the pale-haired, pale-skinned boy sitting across from me, looking at me with curiosity in his cold, grey eyes.

"I suppose I will," I had responded politely. "So, what's your name, anyways?" I was just glad I had started getting to know someone who was in my year before arriving at Hogwarts.

"Malfoy. Scorpius Malfoy," he said. The name meant nothing to me at the time, but the pride and arrogance I remember seeing on his face when he said that told me that he expected me to know his family name and that he expected me to be in awe at being in his presence. At the same time, though, I could see the nervousness and shyness behind his confident façade. "What's your name?"

"I'm Ailsa Harris." From that moment on, Scorpius became my one true friend at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Anyways, back to what's happening now. I'm really excited and nervous right now. I'll be turning 18 this Sunday, but also N.E.W.T.s and exams are coming up in all of my classes. I have to achieve at least Exceeds Expectations in Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology, and Defence Against the Dark Arts if I want to become an auror. True, the most powerful dark wizards anyone knows of were killed over a quarter of a century ago, but I still feel this need to become an auror. I know I'm not the only one trying to get into the auror training program; there is a handful of students in my year who are going through those courses with me, hoping to be eligible to become an auror. These days I almost regret have Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes still on my schedule, but I've been managing well if I do say so myself.

I'm glad it's Friday today. I had the morning off, as usual, then was busy until my last class ended at half past three. Or, well, that's when it was supposed to end, but I stayed for a few extra minutes to ask Professor Longbottom about one of the plants we've been learning about recently. He's one of my favourite teachers, now that I'm used to the way he rambles on when he gets really into what he's teaching. I had to hurry to ask him my questions though; I didn't want to intrude on the fourth years' learning time. Professor Longbottom ended up just inviting Albus Potter and I to tea tomorrow afternoon because we both had questions and no time for answers.

It's just about time to go down to dinner now, so I'd best find Scorpius before the younger students crowd the corridors.

Ailsa


	2. Then Friendships Are Formed

**May 25**

**Saturday**

Dear Diary,

I'm back from having tea with Professor Longbottom, Scorpius, and Albus. I really enjoyed the talk we had about Herbology, plus we managed to coax a few stories from the professor's life during the Battle of Hogwarts and when he was an auror with Albus' dad. I couldn't help but remember all of the stories Albus and Scorpius had told me about their parents and the other people they knew that had been in that battle. I was so jealous that they had all these stories to tell, but I was just glad they were sharing them with me.

I remember the first time I met Albus Potter was while we were in the boats across the Black Lake for the first time. Scorpius and I decided to get into the first empty boat we saw, then were soon joined by Albus and his cousin Rose Weasley. We were all frightened by the stories we had heard about the Black Lake and the fact that we didn't really know what to expect when we got to the other side. We sat in silence for only a few minutes before I couldn't take it any longer; I needed a distraction from the eerie surroundings.

"So, who are you?" I asked the girl who had sat down across from me. I remember being uncomfortable when talking to strangers like that, but it turned out alright.

"Oh, me?" the girl had asked, her voice much more confident than my own. "I'm Rose Weasley, and this here is my cousin Albus Severus Potter." I could tell just by looking that Albus was much more shy than his cousin.

"Well, hello, Rose. Hello, Albus. I- I'm Ailsa Harris. And this is-" I started to gesture towards Scorpius, but I was cut off unexpectedly.

"I recognize you," Albus Potter had begun. It was hard to catch his voice over the sounds coming at us from the night. "You're a Malfoy, aren't you? Our fathers went to school together."

I remember turning to face Scorpius and finally noticing the look on his face. I remember being unsure whether the stare he gave Rose and Albus was contemptuous or, perhaps, uneasy. I eventually learned of the hate-hate relationship Scorpius' father had shared with Albus' and Rose's parents that had been set aside but never fully demolished. It was still strong enough that I could see it living on in Scorpius' eyes, shining in the lamplight.

Scorpius opened his mouth to speak. "That's right," he said with a haughty look upon his face. "I'm Scorpius Malfoy." For a moment I was worried that a fight of some sort might break out, but instead I witnessed something entirely different.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Scorpius," Albus whispered, smiling and sticking out his hand. Scorpius took the hand and shook it, nodding in agreement.

After that, the four of us stuck together like magnets, though only Albus and Scorpius ended up in the same house. I remember Scorpius was ecstatic when his wish of being in Slytherin came true. Albus seemed unsure how to feel when he was sorted into Slytherin with Scorpius. Rose, on the other hand, seemed more than a little relieved when the Sorting Hat screamed, "GRYFFINDOR!" the moment the hat was on her head. I was just glad I wasn't completely rejected by the hat. Actually, I truly do enjoy being a Ravenclaw.

I made plans for the evening, actually. Rose, Albus, Scorpius and I are going to study and practice for our N.E.W.T.s down in the Room of Requirement tonight. I was told to meet them there for nine o'clock this evening, so I'll have to be careful in the hallways between here and there. Usually we would all just go straight there together, but the boys said they're busy and Rose is helping her cousin Lily study for O.W.L.s this afternoon. So, for now, I am stuck up in my dormitory alone, writing this. I think I might just go ahead and work on my Care of Magical Creatures homework from yesterday's class.

Actually, scratch that; another memory of my earlier days just struck me and I have to right it down before I forget.

_It was the first day of classes at Hogwarts in the year 2017. My first class was Defence Against the Dark Arts with the other Ravenclaws and the first-year Hufflepuffs. I didn't know anybody in the class and didn't really make any friends just then. I waited impatiently for the lesson to be over so I could head to History of Magic with the Slytherins. At least then I would have two friends in my class._

_ As soon as the bell rang I rushed to the door and hurriedly found the classroom for my next class. I got inside only to see that Albus and Scorpius were already there and had sat together; there was no space for me at their table. I sat down next to a girl I recognized as being one of my fellow Ravenclaws, but I still wasn't comfortable enough to speak to her. I sat through the period, rigorously taking notes on everything Professor Binns said, doing my best not to fall asleep. I had heard about Professor Binns before; he was the only Hogwarts professor who was a ghost. I never really learned the story behind it, but I hadn't believed the kid who had told me that there was a ghost for a teacher at the school._

_ After listening to the History of Magic professor drone on for nearly an hour, class was finally over. It was time for one of the first years' free periods, so I headed over to where Scorpius and Albus were waiting for me. "What are you two going to do during free period?" I asked them. I tried seeing if they would go to the library with me to work on our History of Magic homework, but all I got from the pair were non-committal grunts and a grimace from each. Then Albus raised his head up with a grin on his face: obviously someone had an idea of what to do until lunchtime._

_ "We could always go visit Hagrid," Albus suggested. I could see Scorpius holding back a grimace at the idea of visiting this "Hagrid" character. Albus explained on our way across the grounds that Hagrid was a good friend to his family and that he was a great person to visit with. He told us that Hagrid is actually half-giant, but definitely isn't scary at all if you give him a chance. Albus also told us that Hagrid's hut had burned down during the Battle of Hogwarts, but Hagrid had rebuilt it within a couple years after the battle ended._

_ We arrived at the door of Hagrid's hut, a look of shock creeping onto Scorpius' face that I was sure mirrored my own. The hut had to be over twice the height of any person I had ever met! When the door swung open, I could suddenly see why the hut was so gargantuan. The man who emerged from the doorway looked about the same size as if you had squished ten fully grown men together; the man's shaggy hair brushed the top of the door's frame easily._

_ "Oh, Al, yeh've finally come to visit, I see!" Hagrid laughed. He gave Albus a pat on the back and started to welcome him in, then turned to Scorpius and I. "Well, who are yer little friends, Al? Come in, come in all of yeh," the man gestured for us to join them in his home._

_ "Oh, sorry about that," Albus mumbled while rubbing at his back where Hagrid had patted on it. "This is Ailsa, Ailsa Harris. And that there is Scorpius Malfoy." Albus nodded toward each of us as he introduced us to Hagrid._

_ Hagrid grumbled a little when Albus mentioned Scorpius' name, but welcomed him in nonetheless. Apparently Scorpius' father had managed to get himself on Hagrid's bad side during his days at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

_ The enormous man went to the cabinets on one side of his room and got together the things to prepare tea for us. He set his teapot over the fire on the other side of the room and set about fixing a snack to go with our tea. While he did this, I looked around the cabin in awe. It was only a one room building, but it was so large and had everything its owner seemed to need. We all sat down around Hagrid's table and drank tea while Albus talked to the man about how his first few days of school were and ensured that his parents were quite well, thank you._

_ We stay at Hagrid's until we realized we were going to make ourselves late for dinner. Albus, Scorpius and I ran back across the grounds to the castle, breathless by the time we got to our different house tables._

Yes, I remember that was the first of many trips made to Hagrid's hut by the three of us. Of course, Rose would join us occasionally, but she was much more focused on schoolwork than the rest of us. I remember Al told us it was a trait Rose got from her mother and that his aunt Hermione had been the brightest student at Hogwarts during her time there. I think I might suggest to the other that we visit Hagrid for tea tomorrow. Well, I'd best be off for dinner now.

_Ailsa_


	3. Surprise, Surprise

**May 26**

**Sunday**

Dear Diary,

I'm back from breakfast now and I just wanted to fill you in about last night before I have to go study and do more schoolwork.

Last night I got to the Room of Requirement just a minute or two after nine, since I didn't want to be the first there. I got there, but realized I didn't know what I was supposed to think about to open it to where my friends would be. I paced in front of it, deep in thought, until Rose appeared from around the corner at the end of the hall. I back away for a moment so that she would have room to try and open the door to the Room of Requirement, pleased when it appeared almost immediately.

"So, what are we practising today?" I asked her. All I had known at that moment, really, was the time and location of where she and the boys had wanted to meet up. When I got through the door to the Room of Requirement, though, I was shocked to find that it wasn't set up as a practice room at all. Instead, the whole room was decorated for my birthday and it seemed like half of our year was there, plus Rose's and Albus' siblings and cousins had all come out, too. I was completely speechless.

Looking around I soon came to the conclusion that they had tried to invite every single person that I could possibly call a friend. Even a few kids I didn't know all that well had come, probably with our mutual friends just so they wouldn't feel left out. Of course, I had to at least somewhat know each of the people there, since most of the ones I wasn't close with are in my year and I've had classes with them all before. At most I might've missed just a couple of years with any students who dropped all of the classes I decided to keep after we had more electives available.

Another great surprise was that Albus had apparently gotten the Marauder's Map from James after James finished school, then went with Scorpius to get some butterbeer from the Three Broomsticks and some sweets from Honeydukes. My favourites being Chocolate Frogs, they made sure to stock up on plenty of those (and even kept an extra stash just for me). I thought it was all rather sweet of them.

Rose, Al, and Scorpius made sure there was music playing and snacks going around since it had been awhile since dinner. I went around chatting with all the people who came out to celebrate my birthday, surprised by the occasional little gift here and there. Finally, I went back to join Rose, who was sitting in one of the armchairs around an empty fireplace; apparently the Room of Requirement knew that it was summer and wouldn't need a fire to keep us all warm this time around.

"Remember the first time we came to the Room of Requirement?" Rose had asked me after wishing me an early 'happy birthday'. Of course I remembered, so we sat there reminiscing for awhile.

"I remember being completely shocked to find out about it, but it was nice that it kept Filch from catching us in the corridor after curfew," I had told Rose. I had remembered seeing Mrs. Norris and watching her slink away to fetch Filch whenever we were out of bed after hours. We never got caught because the first time we were ever in that situation, we were on the 7th floor and happened across the Room of Requirement simply because Rose, Al, Scorpius, and I had all been thinking about our need to keep from getting caught. We then ended up in a room with a peephole to look out into the hallway and that was locked magically from the inside once we were all in and the door was closed. Once we figured out how to use it (with a few hints here and there from the other three's parents), it became a regular meeting place for us all.

After our nostalgic talk, Rose let slip that Scorpius had been waiting to talk to me for awhile. She smirked at me and I knew exactly what she was thinking. "Okay, you've thought there was something going on between Scorpius and I ever since we first met. Nothing is ever gonna happen, ok?" I had snapped at Rose but she knew I wasn't actually angry.

"It might not have happened yet, but you can't deny that you secretly wish it would happen," was her response. I couldn't deny her that fact, so I just rolled my eyes and turned away to hide my blushing cheeks.

"Well, if he wants to talk to me then I might as well go find him," I had said to her. I then got up and scanned the room, hoping it wouldn't be too hard to find Scorpius in the crowd that was gathered there. It was only moments before I caught sight of his messy blond hair across the room, chatting with Albus. I walked to them, not really sure what to expect when I got there.

Albus turned and saw me first. "Hey there birthday girl," he laughed. The three of us stood for a moment, unsure of what to say. "Oh," Al started up again. "I have a birthday present for you, but I'm gonna wait to give it to you until tomorrow for you actual birthday, alright?"

I shrugged and told him that I was perfectly fine with waiting and that I was very much excited to see whatever it was he got me. It turned out to be a new book of incantations and spells that I could study from in my free time, which I am most definitely excited for.

"Well, I'm gonna go get myself another butterbeer. You two want anything?" Al asked. Scorpius and I both politely declined, then waited for Albus to move off in the direction of the refreshments.

It was just like those first few moments on the train to Hogwarts, looking at everything but each other, not sure of what to say exactly. Then, gray eyes met mine and I was suddenly at ease. "Why don't we go somewhere else to talk?" Scorpius suggested. I took him up on his offer and fled to nearest hidden staircase, then sat down to talk.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" I really was curious what Scorpius Malfoy could have possibly been up to at that moment. Then, he pulled out a small, squarish box covered in wrapping paper, a bow resting on top. My eyes widened a little.

"I, uh..." This was not the Scorpius I knew; the Scorpius I knew was always very self-confident, almost to the point of arrogance. "I just wanted to, uh, wish you a happy birthday," he blurted out, handing me the little box. "I was going to wait until your actual birthday like Al and Rose, but I saw the time and it's just after midnight now, so I guess I'm just in time."

"Oh, uh, okay..." I sat there, not sure of what to do, then decided the best option would be to open my present. Slowly and carefully I removed the wrapping paper from the outside of what I knew was a box. "Oh! You got me a little velvet box! My favourite," I joked. And then I finally opened the box.

I don't know how long, exactly, it took for me to be able to speak again. I really hadn't known what to expect when I saw the little present from my closest friend, but what I found wasn't even one of my guesses. Inside the box, I found a locket made of gold and white gold. It was a heart locket and when I opened it, I found a picture of him in one side and the other side empty. It has little engravings on it including the symbol for infinity, as well as the word "love" across the front of the locket.

I didn't know what to say right then, so I just looked up at Scorpius until our eyes met. I knew I was beginning to blush, but he didn't seem to notice just then. How had I not seen how beautiful his eyes are before that moment? I had never felt happier than looking into the silvery grey eyes that I swear could see into my soul. Looking at each other like that reminded me of how much we had grown as people both physically and emotionally, but more than that it reminded me of so many moments before when we'd be studying together and just happen to look into each others' eyes. I remember those moments feeling so awkward because we hadn't talked about our feelings with each other in forever; I didn't know if he knew that I cared so much about him, nor did I know how he felt about me.

Just then, Scorpius coughed, breaking eye contact finally. "Do you like it?" he asked me, gesturing at the locket that was still sitting in my hands. I could see his ears reddening through his curly blond hair, a rare sight coming from a Malfoy, knowing how uncommon it was for any of them to show so much of their emotions. As a matter of fact, I couldn't remember the last time I had seen Scorpius come this close to fully blushing.

I looked down at the locket again, closed my hand around it, then looked up into Scorpius' eyes again. "No, I don't like it," I began. Seeing the disappointment in his eyes, I hurriedly finished what I was going to say: "I love it." I smiled at him as his eyes met mine again. A hint of a smile spread across his face.

"Really?"

"Yeah, really," I reassured him. And it was the truth, too. How could I not love it?

Scorpius took my hand that was holding the locket and uncurled my fingers. Taking the locket into his own hands, he asked me to turn around so that he could help me put it on. I turned to face the wall I had been leaning against and held my hair up out of the way as he placed the locket around my neck. "There," he breathed as I turned back to face him. My face was definitely pink at the very least by this point, but again, neither of us really cared.

"Oh!" I gasped with a start. "I don't know whose picture to put in the other half of the locket," I stated, misery washing over me.

"Don't worry about that right now," he told me, taking my hand. "You can wait to fill the other half until you know exactly which picture you want in it, okay?"

I glanced down to where our hands were still together, then back into Scorpius' eyes. I could feel my heart racing with all the emotions I was feeling just then. I knew I had been head-over-heels in love with Scorpius for as long as I could remember, though I would never have admitted it to anyone but Rose before now. "Okay," I smiled. I wanted to know what would happen next with us, but I didn't know what else to say to him.

He coughed again, obviously wanting to say something more. "I, uh," he stammered again. It still felt odd having the most confident person I knew stammering while talking to _me_ of all people. "I wanted to come here to talk to you, actually. I mean, I wanted to give you your birthday present, but I also wanted to talk to you about..." Another thing I wasn't used to was Scorpius letting his words fade away without finishing what he wanted to say.

"About what?" I was beyond curious now.

"About... Us."

Oh, darn! I just remembered I promised Rose I would spend some time with just her this afternoon and talk to her about stuff. I'll finish up with this tonight or, probably, tomorrow after classes.

_Ailsa_


	4. About Us

**May 27  
><strong>**Monday**

Dear Diary,

I'm back for a bit before dinner. I would have started writing in you awhile ago, but I told Rose I would meet up with her for a few minutes after she got out of Ancient Runes. Anyways, I believe I promised I would continue from where I had to leave to go spend time with Rose yesterday, so here I am. Now where was I? Ah, yes, now I remember.

"About... Us," Scorpius stated, still obviously nervous.

"Us? What do you mean, 'about us'?" I was in interrogation mode then, my heart pounding furiously.

"Well, what do you think I mean?" His confidence was clearly coming back at that point and I could see he was back on the defensive. We both took a deep breath before he continued by calmly saying, "I've been thinking about this moment for a long time. Maybe even since that first day when you sat across from me in the compartment on the Hogwarts Express."

I couldn't move for a moment. _Did this mean he had been thinking about me in the same way I had been thinking about him? This seems way too obvious_, I thought to myself, waiting for Scorpius to keep going. I knew I should probably add to that conversation a little myself, but I didn't know what to say that wouldn't ruin everything.

"Do you ever think about the possibilities? Do you ever think that maybe, just maybe, you're meant to be with just one person, maybe even forever? Do you ever think that you know who that person is, but then the fear of rejection overcomes you before you can say anything to them?" None of those were the questions I was expecting him to ask, but I knew where this was going for sure now.

"Yes," I replied. "I think about those things _constantly_. Do you ever think like that?"

"No, of course not!" I could tell he was teasing me now. "Why else would I be asking you that if I didn't already think that way?" We both laughed.

I stopped for a minute and coughed before asking the question I really wanted to know the answer to: "Who is that person you think about all the time? Who is it that you think you're absolutely meant to spend eternity with?"

"Well, there's only one person I know who could possibly fill the shoes of my life partner. I mean, they have to know me better than anyone else and they have to be someone I can talk to about anything. That person has to be one of my closest friends and has to be able to make me smile or laugh without really trying. I have to be able to trust that person with my life and they have to be someone that I can always depend on. And most importantly, they have to be someone I truly care for."

I didn't know what to say anymore. That could be a perfect description of me, but he also could have been describing Rose. True, I was always a lot closer with him than the others, but he met Rose at almost the same time as he met me and they were still really good friends. I was scared now. "S-so, who... Uh, who is th-that s-someone f-for you?" I finally ask, stuttering more than I ever had.

"Isn't it obvious?" Scorpius asked me. I gave him a blank stare to let him know that, no, it was not obvious to me at all. "Okay, fine," he began again, "I'll give you another hint: she's got blonde, wavy hair and hazel eyes that are more green than brown. Oh, and she's kind of sitting right in front of me."

I blushed furiously upon hearing that. I didn't know anyone else in our entire school who could be described like that. As a matter of fact, I didn't even know anyone with hazel eyes other than myself. "Well, okay then." I could tell he knew that I already knew who he was talking about.

"So?"

"'So' what?" I was more than a little confused by this sudden question.

"So, aren't you gonna tell me about the person you think about all the time? I mean, I just spilled a secret to you that not even Al knows, so I think it's only fair you answer your own question now," he responded, ridding me of my confusion.

"Oh, well, I don't quite know how to describe him," I said. I really didn't know how to describe the beautiful boy in front of me.

"Okay, well do I know him?"

I almost laughed at Scorpius when he asked that. "Well, I don't know. Do you know the person you see every time you're in front of the mirror?" I asked, sarcasm thick in my voice.

The corners of Scorpius' mouth curved up in his usual half-smile that always makes my heart flutter.

I looked down in hopes of hiding my blushing face, only to realize we were still holding hands. "So what happens now?" I know we're both wondering this, so I break the silence again.

"Now, I ask you the most important question of all."

"Which is...?" I could only guess what question Scorpius wishes to ask now that we knew we have feelings for each other.

He put a finger under my chin and lifted my face so that we were looking into each others' eyes again. "Will you, Ailsa Harris, be my girlfriend?"

I couldn't help but smile and blush even more. "Of course I will, silly," I respond. How could I have possibly said 'no' to the thing I had wanted for so long? _I couldn't_.

We sat there for a moment, not sure if there was really anything else we needed to say. We could officially say we were boyfriend and girlfriend and that we were in a relationship, but neither of us was entirely sure we were ready to do anything with that fact. Or, at least I wasn't sure I was ready; I had never been in a relationship, myself, though I knew Scorpius had had more than his fair share of girlfriends. As we began to get up, Scorpius chimed in again: "We had one more Hogsmeade weekend coming up, as you probably already know. What say you to lunch with me at the Three Broomsticks at 12:30?" He knew that was the only restaurant-type place in Hogsmeade that I really appreciated, since I had never been one for the sappiness of that old tea shop there or the grubbiness of the Hog's Head. Besides, the Three Broomsticks was our traditional spot to meet and eat when in Hogsmeade.

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan," I said. I finally checked what time it was just then. "Oh! We'd better head back before everyone is gone!" I exclaimed. I started to climb the hidden staircase, rushing to get back to the Room of Requirement before all my guests left. I was half-expecting Scorpius to stop me, but instead he caught up to me and made sure to hold the door on our way out.

We quickly and quietly returned to the party my friends had thrown for me, glad to see that everyone was still around and distracted enough by their chatter to not even notice Scorpius and I walking in together. Well, everyone but Rose was distracted; Rose saw Scorpius and I come in together and that's when she made me promise to tell her the details of everything as soon as possible.

I went around the room, talking with as many people as possible again and thanking them all for coming. Shortly, the room was empty except for Al, Scorpius, Rose, and me. "Well, I'm off to bed before it gets too much later. Happy birthday, again, Ailsa," Al said before giving me a quick hug and hurrying out.

"Same. Happy birthday!" Rose hugged me, too, then left.

As soon as Rose and Al were out of earshot to us, I turned back to Scorpius. "So, I guess it's time for us to part ways and head to bed?" I asked.

"I suppose, but there's one more thing I wanted to do before I left," he said.

"Okay, and what is that?"

He pulled me closer to him so that we were just inches apart. "Well, I wanted to know... I mean, I was wondering if... If you would mind if I, uh, kissed you." It was clear to me that he was feeling nervous again, which still surprised me. More so, probably, because I had never seen him get this nervous over a girl before.

"Uh..." It had just occurred to me what he wanted. "I suppose that would be fine, actually." I shocked myself by how calm I was. How could I have been that calm about what was about to be my first kiss? Sometimes I think I may have gone bonkers.

And then it happened. It was so small, so insignificant, but it was everything in that moment. I had never experienced the burning emotions that began to flow the second our lips met. It was nothing overly passionate, but it was just so special to me that I could honestly say it meant more than if Scorpius had decided to just start snogging randomly. Moments passed by and we separated slightly. I found my arms were around his neck, his around my waist, though I couldn't remember either of us moving.

I dropped down onto my heels, noticing for the first time just how much shorter I am than Scorpius. We stood like that for another minute or two and I rested my head against his chest, sliding my arms down to his waist so that I wouldn't have to stretch awkwardly to keep holding him. We hugged a bit until I realized I was beginning to fall asleep in his arms.

I pulled back quickly and slid my hands into his. "I'd love to stay here with you, but we both know we have to get back to our dormitories, right?" I hated having to leave him so soon, but I didn't want either of us to get in trouble on our way back to our common rooms. Plus, I knew if I didn't get sleep soon I wouldn't be able to wake up in time for breakfast.

"Of course, of course," he smiled at me. We hugged one last time, then left the Room of Requirement together, parting ways in the hallway outside.

Running as quickly and as quietly as possible, I went back to my dorm and fell asleep, hardly taking the time to change.

The next morning I woke up just in time to head down for breakfast. I dressed quickly and half-ran to the door out of the Ravenclaw common room. I ran partway down the stairs when I heard someone call my name from above me.

"Ailsa," the voice called. I turned and nearly had a heart attack. There was Scorpius, smiling down at me from one of the many spaces in the wall which hold windows. I ran back up the few stairs between us, blushing once again at having been oblivious enough to not even see my best friend standing there (I guess I should've written boyfriend, but it's still gonna take a few days for me to get used to that).

We each said a 'good morning' to the other, then headed down to breakfast, hand-in-hand. "So, does anyone else know about... Us?" I asked Scorpius. I knew he and Albus would have been in the same dormitory, so I wasn't sure if they had talked at all after Scorpius got back from the Room of Requirement.

"No, not yet," he replied to my great surprise. "The only person I would've told was Al, but he had already passed out when I got back to our room last night."

_So,_ I thought to myself,_ it will be a surprise for everyone if we walk into the Great Hall holding hands_. "Oh, okay. Yeah, I haven't talked to anyone about it either," I assured him.

We walked into the Great Hall without anyone really noticing us at first, but then I saw Rose at the Gryffindor table, staring at us. Scorpius and I headed to where the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables are. Then, I saw Al, who was also staring at us. I saw him wink at Scorpius, clearly trying to hide it so that nobody else would notice, but it was too late; a handful of other Slytherins glanced over and started sniggering as quietly as they could.

We walked to the seat across from where Al was sitting so that we were just in between the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables. I gave Al a look to make him shut up, then went to the nearest seat at the Ravenclaw table.

As the meal came to an end, owls started flying in with their usual packages. At first I was completely surprised by the handful of owls that all dropped packages in front of me, but then I remembered that it was my birthday. With help from Rose, I took everything up to the Room of Requirement so that I could just open it all quickly before telling her about my birthday. Amongst the packages I found new quills and journals for me to write in for when this diary is full (from my parents), some chocolate frogs (from Rose's family, which surprised me as always), a broomstick servicing kit (from the Potters, which surprised me too, but I knew both of Al's parents played quidditch), a box of rock cakes (from Hagrid, obviously), and a bracelet which matched the locket around my neck (from the Malfoys, which shocked me more because of what the present was than because they sent a present). I immediately took to wearing the bracelet on my left wrist, since I already had the locket on under my robes.

After opening the presents I explained what had happened between Scorpius and I after we'd left the party the night before , laughing every time she said anything along the lines of "aww, that's so cute". We sat there for a bit, just chatting and giggling when Al and Scorpius walked in.

I had nearly forgotten that we were supposed to be studying together, so we cleared the packages out of our way and got up from the patch of floor we had been sitting on.

I hurriedly told each of my friends to thank their families for me, since I wasn't sure when I would see the Potters or Weasleys again. The Malfoys, on the other hand, I had visited at least a week or two out of nearly every summer since befriending Scorpius, and I was certain I would be visiting them even more now. Of course, I asked Scorpius to thank his parents for me anyways, but I was still fairly certain I would see them again soon enough.

From that point on, we spent the entire afternoon and evening practising and studying for our upcoming N.E.W.T.s, taking a break only to go down for dinner.

Now then, I just spent a lot longer than I had intended to in writing in here, so I'd best be off now before I'm late for dinner.

_Ailsa_


End file.
